Mountain Soul, Water Spirit - Poetic Views on Landscape Poetry by Women Poets of Chaste Virtue during the Late Ming and Early Qing Dynasties

Author: Shi Zhiming / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-07-01
Features:
(1) A Diverse, Discerning the Essence – The Origin and Value of This Article
The period of the Ming and Qing dynasties was indeed a unique era in Chinese history, unparalleled in a millennium. Setting aside the intense class contradictions and brutal ethnic conflicts that intertwined to form a complex political landscape, even the trajectory of literary development differed significantly from previous dynasties. First, the spiritual trials and emotional suffering experienced by scholars and literati were unmatched by any preceding era. On one hand, they had to endure the baptism of class struggle and make political stances; on the other, they had to confront the fierce ethnic conflicts and make choices regarding their moral integrity. Precisely because of this, scholars and literati during the Ming-Qing transition became a group of great interest to later generations.
First, by studying their ideological forms, moral integrity, and the literary creations that emerged from these foundations, we can gain a deeper and broader understanding of the essential connections between literature and social, political, economic, and cultural aspects. Second, having endured multiple trials of the soul and body and faced the political turmoil of collapsing mountains and crashing seas, scholars and literati began an unprecedented division. Some conformed to the times and became supporters of peasant uprisings; others succumbed to pressure, bowed before the iron hooves of foreign invaders, and even donned makeup to become officials in the new dynasty. In the difficult years of the homeland's decline and dark clouds looming, a group of virtuous and loyal individuals used their passionate grief and surging blood to stage a tragic and heroic drama of "holding firm against the remnants of mountains and waters." Some fought across the mountains and seas, achieving self-sacrifice: "To speak of survival is to harm benevolence; a long cry takes one out of the mortal world" (Qian Bangqi, "Random Verses on the Way," Part One). Others wandered back and forth, striving to rise again and restore the homeland: "The sky and earth for over a decade; righteous men in the grasslands call out to each other. Though the front car has overturned, the rear still drives forward; with a bit of luck, one gains the momentum of the winds and clouds" (Xu Fuyuan, "Lamenting the Persecuted Virtuous"). Others remained loyal, proud of their purity, refusing to be tainted by the new dynasty, even if it meant falling into the dust: "At the end of the Ming, loyal ministers never changed their principles. Buried in stone, their spirits are refined by the sun" (Chen Zuocai, "Poem in a Stone Coffin"). Others upheld their integrity, sought enlightenment in monasteries, lighting the lamp of Buddha to illuminate the flames of delusion: "Like a wild crane following the clouds, like cold plum blossoms battling snow. Awakened from a dream, they become enlightened; in the clear pool, the moonlight relies on itself" (Ren Tinggui, "Poem on Becoming a Monk").
In summary, "long swords at horse heads," "bitter songs at the Yi River," "misty rain over the Five Lakes," "lightness toward wealth," "rain and mist over the mountains," hiding one's name in the clouds, and seeking refuge "beyond the secular world" – these were the common mentality and life choices of loyal ministers and in times of national collapse. It was precisely because of this unique group that the unyielding righteousness of the Chinese nation has been able to spread, endure, and flourish, becoming a spiritual symbol.
Given this, studying and exploring the ideological concepts, philosophical systems, and literary creations of the virtuous and loyal individuals during the Ming-Qing transition holds great significance. Among the numerous research achievements, the exploration and elaboration of the ideological systems of these individuals are particularly noteworthy, with their quantity, perspectives, and content universally recognized. As for the study of the poetry of virtuous and loyal poets during the Ming-Qing transition, especially the research on the intrinsic patterns of Ming poetry, the most representative work is undoubtedly Professor Yan Dicang's History of Qing Poetry.
My mentor, with his rigorous academic approach, profound cultivation, and unique insight, placed the poets within their specific historical context, conducting a comprehensive discussion. Through the examination of family genealogies and historical records, he provided an elaborate and incisive explanation of the poetic style shaped by regional cultural influences. Additionally, Professor Zhu Zejie's History of Qing Poetry also discusses the ideological connotations and artistic styles of the virtuous and loyal poets during the Ming-Qing transition. He succinctly categorizes poets of the Ming-Qing into three types: first, the "loyal poets" represented by Chen Zilong and Xia Wanchun; second, the "disloyal poets" led by Qian Qianyi and Wu Weiye; and third, the " poets" who fell between the two.
The Ming poets formed a vast and majestic creative group, with numerous works compiling and preserving their historical materials from the early Qing to the modern era, each unique in its own way. Among these, representative works with comprehensive systems, abundant data, and insightful reflections include Zhuoerkang's Poetry of Ming (16 volumes), Chen Tian's Annals of Ming Poetry, Deng Zhicheng's Early Annals of Qing Poetry, and Qian Zhonglian's Annals of Qing Poetry: Ming Volume. These works cite historical materials with great accuracy and detail, providing great convenience for studying Ming poetry.
Zhuoerkang's Poetry of Ming not only meticulously evaluates the character and life of each poet but also echoes the later Late Qing Poems Collection by compiling and preserving a vast number of Ming poems. These works are essential and must-read for studying the poetry of Ming poets.
While these scholars have devoted great effort to the overall study of the poetry of virtuous and loyal poets during the late Ming and early Qing, research on their landscape poetry remains a. Aside from Wang Yingzhi of Soochow University's single essays such as On the Landscape Poetry of Qu Dayun, no systematic and continuous studies on the landscape poetry of Ming-Qing virtuous and loyal poets have yet been published. From this perspective, choosing the landscape poetry of Ming-Qing virtuous and loyal poets as a research subject should have the value of filling this.
Of course, this is just a humble contribution to inspire greater interest. I hope this rough and simplistic essay can spark the curiosity of the wise in this field of study, allowing for broader exploration of the circumstances and causes behind the flourishing and grandeur of landscape poetry in the Qing dynasty.
In terms of the evolution of poetic development, the Qing dynasty, after the stagnation and hesitation of the Yuan and Ming dynasties, once again played a powerful and melodious tune in the symphony of Chinese classical poetry. The existence of the virtuous and loyal poet group during the late Ming and early Qing laid the foundation for the tragic and resolute poetic style of the Qing dynasty, establishing a tradition of and righteous integrity that spanned the entire Qing era. From Gu Yanwu and Wang Fuzhi to Qu Dayun, Yan Ermei, Xing Chou, Lin Zexu, Wei Yuan, Gong Zizhen, Qiu Fengjia, Huang Zongxian, and Yao Xie, the Qing dynasty poetry took a path entirely different from previous dynasties, with the contributions of the poet group indelible. Among the various poetic genres, landscape poetry remained a recurring theme, and in the Qing dynasty, it almost became a symbol of poetry reaching its peak. In the hands of Qing poets, whether in terms of content, scope of depiction, or the artistic spirit of exploring the depths and heights, landscape poetry far surpassed that of previous dynasties.
If we delve into the core of Qing dynasty landscape poetry, we cannot help but marvel at its richness and enchanting allure. During the turbulent and brutal environment of the Ming-Qing transition, virtuous and loyal poets, with their unique insights and aesthetic perspectives, created an abundance of high-quality landscape poems, a feat unmatched not only in the history of Qing dynasty landscape poetry but also in the entire history of classical landscape poetry.
Therefore, by describing the landscape poetry of Ming-Qing virtuous and loyal poets, we can gain insight into the social psychology and artistic pursuits of poets in a specific era and cultural context, as well as the profound influence they had on shaping the landscape poetic style of the Qing dynasty.
For the convenience of expression, this article collectively refers to its subject as "virtuous and loyal poets." This term has two meanings: "loyal" refers to the group of poets who sacrificed themselves for the Ming dynasty, synonymous with the "Ming martyrs" mentioned later, whether they died on the front lines of anti-Qing resistance or were executed after capture; whether they remained loyal in the critical moments of class struggle or died with unwavering resolve in the face of foreign invasion, they all belonged to the category of "martyrs." "Virtuous" refers to the group of poets who, after the fall of their homeland, remained loyal to their former dynasty, rejecting the new regime and clinging to a sliver of hope, guarding their noble character with unyielding will, consistent with the concept of " poets" mentioned later. The term "virtuous and loyal poets" is used in general discussions to simplify the language, while in specific analyses, they are distinguished as "Ming martyrs" and " poets" to highlight their distinct roles.
In this article, the definition of landscape poetry is primarily based on its subject matter. Whether it involves climbing mountains to admire the scenery, traveling and composing poems, expressing emotions and aspirations, or lamenting personal fate, the main imagery in the poem determines its classification. For example, poems of ascension, travel, and journeys all fall within the scope of this article's landscape poetry. Additionally, due to the unique historical and social background of the virtuous and loyal poets, certain works that express sentiments and aspirations are also cited for reference, but these serve only as supplementary evidence and are not considered landscape poetry themselves. We hope the esteemed scholars will understand this.
Compared to landscape poetry in the mid-to-late Qing dynasty, the landscape poetry of virtuous and loyal poets contains more elements of lamenting personal fate, which can only be attributed to the era's background and social realities. For Qing dynasty landscape poetry to truly enter a realm of pure artistic aesthetics with less humanistic burden, it would require the emergence of poets who gradually settled into a calmer mindset after the Qing dynasty, a point that need not be elaborated upon here.
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